Story Time
by Pokemon67
Summary: Summary: The knights stumble across Merlin and his little fan club. A short, cute little story.
1. Chapter 1

**Me: My first Merlin fic! I got the idea by reading another fiction, mentioning Merlin playing with kids and, yeah. Just wrote it…**

 **I have only recently finished the series (Im still in shock, and possible denial) and I love it to bits. If any of you are looking for a good music video to watch on how** _ **amazing**_ **Merlin is/was, then I recommend the one on Youtube, Merlin tribute We have had the time of our lives. It is amazing and makes my heart swell with happiness just thinking about it. And it eases the pain. A little bit.**

 **Enough rambling! On with the show!**

 _~Apologies for any and all grammatical mistakes, especially for misspelling of names, which I'm sure I did.~_

''Well, another good training session, yep?'' Gwaine said as he and the other knights walked down the hallway. He rubbed his sore muscles. ''Punching some sacks for two hours really strengths one up, doesn't it?''

Elyen was the only one who chuckled at Gwaine's subtle complaint, while the others groaned. ''Since you enjoyed it so much, Sir Gwaine,'' Arthur said, ''why don't you shoot for four hours?''

Gwaine opened his mouth to give a no doubt snarky reply, when Percival spoke. ''Do you hear that?''

The other knights stopped and listened. Sure enough, they heard the sound of children's laughter.

The sound of children's laughter wasn't strange; you heard kids laughing and playing all throughout the castle. The children of servants often accompanied their parents to work, helping them here and there with their work. And the children of some of the lords often tagged along, playing with the children their own age. What _was_ strange about the sound was that it was coming from below, in the armory.

Leon frowned. ''They know they aren't supposed to play in there,'' he murmured, annoyed that the children were ignoring the rules.

Arthur nodded, agreeing, though also remembering how many times he and Morgana ran to play in the armory. He went to the stairs, prepared to go and shoo the children away, when Lancelot held up a hand. ''Wait.'' He motioned them to follow. ''If I'm right, they aren't in there for the weapons…''

Lancelot lead them down past the stairs a few steps, to a large grate in the floor. He smirked, and pointed down below.

The knights could see a small circle of children crowded around a work bench. Sitting on the bench, holding a helmet he had been polishing before being ambushed by the little people, was Merlin.

'' _Please_ won't you tell us another?'' a dirty faced little boy asked. Arthur recognized him as the cook's youngest boy.

''We'll help you polish!'' A girl with a brown braid offered. One of the twins belonging to Sir Chanlore.

Merlin laughed. ''Have you ever polished something before?''

''We're quick learners!'' The other twin stated. The other children nodded, agreeing with the girls' assessment of their abilities.

''I thought that once,'' Merlin nodded sagely. ''Right when I started working here. _'Nothing to polishing,'_ I thought. Turns out there is something to polishing, something I didn't posses in my 'dimly lit mind,' as our dear Prince said while whacking me over the head with a ladle.''

''Why did he have a ladle?'' Another child asked. The daughter of the man who transported goods to and from the castle.

''Because he had just found it mixed in with his clothes, where my 'hands of an oaf' had dropped it when I was meant to return it to the cook.''

The children giggled below. Arthur felt his face go red as his knights behind his stifled laughter. ''What are they doing down there?'' he whispered to Lancelot, who brought them here in the first place.

Lancelot chuckled. ''They like Merlin,'' he said lowly. ''They'll follow him around and talk with him and joke. He tells them stories and such.''

''Do they do this everyday?'' Elyan smiled.

Lancelot nodded. ''I've seen this happen in town,'' Gwaine interjected. ''All the kids seem to know Merlin.''

''Probably from how much time he's spent in the stocks,'' Leon said, not unkindly.

The knights chuckled and turned their attention back to the scene below.

Apparently, the kids had gotten their wish and Merlin was in the middle of telling them a story. A little girl (the daughter of one of the maids) was sitting next to Merlin on his bench, leaning against him. She tugged on his shirt to get his attention. ''What happened to the bad spies next?''

Merlin smiled. ''While, the bad spies, being bad spies, were terribly clumsy! They didn't notice the rickety shelf behind them and it toppled right on them!''

Another little boy (the son of one of the gate keepers) stood up excited from his seat on the end of the bench. ''Is this a true story, Merlin?'' he asked.

''What makes you ask that?'' Merlin said. In an odd tone, thought Arthur. Like he was feigning innocence…

''Because I think I found the Bad Spies!'' And the little boy pointed up to the grate.

The children laughed at the knights startled faces. ''Well look at that,'' Merlin said dryly. ''But no, it can't be a real story, because the rickety bookcase didn't fall…''

…..

''So I suppose it was just pure coincidence that the bookcase fell during your story?'' Gauis asked over supper that night.

Merlin shrugged as he took another bite of bread. ''I mean, I noticed it was loose on the way down to the armory,'' he said innocently. ''That's where I got the idea. But for it to fall right after— yeah. Pure coincidence.'' Gauis snorted. ''You don't believe me?''

''Oh, I believe you,'' Gauis said. ''It's just that Gwaine hit his head pretty hard.''

''Hmm?''

''Yes. A book hit his head so hard that it made his eyesight go funny. He said he could've _sworn_ that your eyes glowed _yellow.''_

''Wow,'' Merlin took another bite. ''He must've been hit hard.'' He ate in silence as Gauis continued to glare at him. ''Look on the bright side.''

''What bright side?''

''If he really hurt his head that bad, I'm sure it will get him out of training for a while!''

 **Me: hope you enjoyed! I would appreciate a review if you can! And seriously, watch that music video,** _ **it is pure beauty!**_

 _ **Happy Writing!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Me: Another chapter! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I only own the children. The song is from** _ **Lark Rise to Candleford**_ **.**

 _Left. Right. One step forward, retreat._ Arthur counted off his attacks in his head as he spared with Percival, doing his best to deflect the taller man's movements. All of his knights were good, but if anyone were to ask him who was the strongest, he'd have to say Percival (his height gave him an unfair advantage).

Arthur grinned proudly as he blocked Percival's next attack, only to groan in pain as his opponent used his super human strength to knock him to the ground.

''Are you alright, Sire?'' Percival asked, bending down to offer his king a hand.

Arthur sighed as he accepted his friend's help. ''Sir Percival, one day, I will beat you. And when I do, I am going to _enjoy_ it.''

''I can't wait,'' Lancelot said as he walked across the training field. He clasped Percival on the shoulder. ''I've seen him take down whole regiments of men on his own.''

''Yeah, he probably scared them away with his height,'' Gwaine said as he and Leon went to put their swords away.

Arthur frowned as he watched his friends walk towards the armory. ''Why are you putting those away? Where's Merlin?''

Gwaine turned back to shrug. ''I haven't seen him since this morning, my lord,'' Leon replied respectfully.

Arthur groaned in annoyance. ''Honestly, what is the good of having a servant if he's constantly taking off…''

''I think he's in town,'' Elyan interjected. ''I'm pretty sure I saw him while on my way here.''

''Did he go into the tavern?''

''I— I don't think so…''

''Cause I'll tell you what, if that lazy servant of mine is off drinking _again_ I'm going to give him a head ache that will make any hangover he's ever had seem _blissful._ ''

Percival, Elyan, and Lancelot watched their esteemed leader stomp off in search of the missing manservant. ''Does Merlin even drink?'' Elyan asked.

''Nope,'' Lancelot replied while Percival smiled.

''Is Arthur ever going to pick up on that?''

''Nope.''

After checking the tavern and discovering his servant was, for once, not there, Arthur decided to check the rest of the lower town. He walked through, his eyes scanning for that gangly boy with that bandanna tied around his neck.

The prince sighed as he came to the gates, annoyed that he hadn't found Merlin. Honestly, he had a list of chores for him to do, not to mention it was nearly lunchtime. Arthur would really have to reconsider why he kept the idiot around anyway…

'' _Hmmm Hmmm Hmmm.''_

Arthur's ears' perked up at the noise. It was the sound of a fiddle, unusual for down here in the lower town. Arthur himself only heard music played when the castle was holding special occasions.

Arthur followed the sound out of the gate into the woods a few feet, where the fiddle, its owner deciding it was tuned, began to play a quick, soft tune:

 _''A gypsy came to the castle gate,_

 _He sang so sweet and wild._

 _And with his song he stole away,_

 _The master's only child.''_

Arthur knew that voice. He approached closer to the sound. Lancelot had said that all the children in the castle liked Merlin. Arthur didn't know that the children in the lower town shared the feeling.

In the small clearing in the woods was a group of people. The person who owned the fiddle was a young woman, sitting on a stump an taping her foot to the music. Three little kids were running around, skipping to the music. Two others had somehow managed to climb up a tree, and were kicking their feet as they listened.

 _''Oh, she cast away her silken gown_

 _She cast away her pride!_

 _And ran with him into the night,_

 _Down to the sea so wild.''_

Merlin was in the center of the clearing, holding hands and dancing with a young girl. She looked about ten, and her freckled face looked as if she had previously been crying.

They must have sung Merlin's song before, because everyone chimed in with the chorus:

 _''Oh, come home, come home, my bonny little child_

 _Come home, come home to me._

 _And sit once more by your own fireside_

 _with your head upon my knee._

 _Oh! I'd rather spend one hour here, then seven long years with thee!_

 _And feel the salt rain on my cheek_

 _And know that I am free.''_

Merlin sped up and began spinning the girl around fast, making her nearly fall from laughter as the fiddle sped up.

 _''Oh, she danced in the wind_

 _And she danced in the rain_

 _On the edge of the cliffs by the shore!_

 _She feels the salt rain on her cheek—_

Merlin stopped spinning and froze, and all the children held their breath in anticipation.

 _''And never came home no more.''_

Terribly depressing, Arthur thought. But the children kept still, the two in the tree trying not to giggle. The fiddle began again slowly. Another verse was coming.

 _''_ _Till ... a babe was born on a summers morn,_

 _He was his parents joy._

 _His mother held him to her heart,_

 _Her precious gypsy boy!''_

Merlin's voice ran out as he began dancing with the little girl again, his voice accompanying the fiddle's quickening pace.

'' _She took him to her fathers house,_

 _She beat upon the gate._

 _Crying, 'come and see my darling babe,_

 _We named him for your sake'. ''_

They all joined in again, their voices blending together in harmony:

 _''Come home, come home, my bonny little child,_

 _Come home again to me!_

 _And the father of that darlin' babe_

 _Shall be a son to me!_

 _''They danced all the day and they danced all the night._

 _And they danced on the cliffs and the shore._

 _And the master held his grandchild tight,_

 _And ne'er was alone no more!''_

The children laughed as the fiddle ended the song with a sharp, happy note. The girl Merlin was dancing with threw her arms around him.

''No, Cecilia! You mustn't stop!'' The boy in the tree complained as he watched the woman put her fiddle away.

The woman laughed. ''We've idled enough, Reggy! Now all of you, run along!''

Reggy sighed as he and the girl next to him descended from their perch. The three kids that had been skipping to the music began running down the path towards their homes. The dancing girl, with one last smile at Merlin, followed her friends.

Cecilia went towards Merlin, walking with a limp. ''I'll see you around, Merlin,'' she placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

When Cecilia waked away, Arthur came out of his hiding spot. Merlin had just been standing in the clearing, watching her go. He had a thoughtful expression on his face, and his shoulders slumped. He looked upset.

''Merlin?'' Arthur called out. He'd complain about his servant's lateness later, right now he was more concerned about why the sudden change in demeanor.

Merlin looked startled to see Arthur. His look of sadness was replaced by fear. ''Chores!'' He said urgently.

''Yeah, chores.'' Arthur rolled his eyes.

Merlin shifted uncomfortable. ''How long were you standing there?''

''Came in at the beginning. Strange song. Where'd you learn it?''

''From home. We sing it during the fall harvest.''

Arthur nodded. ''Is something wrong?''

''No, why?''

''You just seemed upset now.''

Merlin looked confused for a second, and then his usual grin slid into place, making Arthur sure he had imagined the look of sadness. ''You know what's wrong?''

''What?''

Merlin threw his arm around Arthur's shoulders. ''I have not yet done whatever it is you came all the way out here looking for me for.''

Arthur laughed. ''Well let's fix that. Boy have I got a _long_ list of chores for you!''

It was late when Merin finally completed his chores. He went home, closing his bedroom door quietly so as not to wake Gaius. He laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking of Clare.

 _''Please, Merlin,'' Clare looked up at him. ''I- I can trust you, right?'' Merlin nodded. ''I- I think I'm cursed!''_

Merlin balled his fists at the memory. He had reassured her she wasn't cursed, but _gifted._ Just like Paige and Colin, and some of the other kids in Camelot. They were special, and more importantly, they weren't alone.

Merlin closed his eyes. He wouldn't let them be alone. He would not make the same mistakes with them that he made with Morgana.

 **Note- Paige is one of the twins and Colin is the cook's son from the preivous chapter.**

 **Me: I hope you enjoyed! I have a couple Ideas for this story, and will update whenever I write them down. So, within the next ten years (just kidding... better make it twenty...).**

 **Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!**

 **Happy Writing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Me: *gasp* I actually found the motivation to write another chapter? The world is a strange,**

 **unpredictable place...**

 **-that is filled with _great amazing people_ who took the time to review, favorite, and follow me and my story! Honestly, it is so cool to see that people enjoy my writing.**

 **And so, here is the next chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the heart wrenching, heart breaking, heart hurting, heart eating show that is _Merlin_**

 _-Pokemon67 wishes to apologise for any and all grammatical errors. No excuse- she just sucks as a proof reader, not from lack of effort though (eh, maybe a little).-_

Merlin wasn't quite sure how it had happened.

To put a long story short (and it was a _very long_ story), somehow the visiting noble was not a visiting noble after all, but a magical creature whose name Gaius had said, but Merlin couldn't remember at the moment, nor pronounce even if he could.

That was the least of his problems, though.

''Merlin,'' Thomas' voice echoed though the dark. With the small flame in his hands, Merlin could just make out the small boy's pale face, his brown hair hanging in his eyes. ''Are- are we going to die?''

''No! Course not,'' Merlin insisted. ''That thing may have trapped us down here, but he can't have blocked all the exits. We're down under the dungeons, yeah? so we just have to walk along and make it to the kitchens; there's a trap door there.'' With that, Merlin took the boy's hand and walked along the dark with as much confidence as he could muster.

With his small light lighting up the path, Merlin lead the way. Upon being confronted, the visiting noble/creature (his name was Darren, Duke Darren but considering the circumstances Merlin thought he was justified in dropping the 'duke' part until further notice) had trapped them in the tunnels under the dungeons, blocking the exit. Thomas, the stable hand's son, had had the poor misfortune to be caring for the horses during this scene. He had tried to help Merlin by distracting Darren, but to no avail.

At first Merlin had been afraid he had went the wrong way. But his worries were soon put to rest as he came to the end of a corridor, with a blue painted door above them.

Merlin was about to check the door, when it opened. ''Told you they'd be here!''

Merlin grinned with gladness at the voice. He and Thomas looked up to see two kids, a boy and a girl, smiling down at them.

''I heard you shout from the stables,'' Caroline explained, reaching a hand down to help pull Thomas up. Merlin followed.

''I thought of the trap door,'' Colin said proudly. ''Mum is always complaining that this door had tripped everyone in this castle at least once.''

''It probably has,'' Merlin agreed, remember the time he had dropped Arthur's breakfast because of that door. ''But we have to hurry. Darren-''

''Is really ugly and going to hurt someone?'' Caroline finished. She smiled. ''I may have heard more than Thomas' scream.''

''One day, I'm sure your tendency to spy on people is going to get you into trouble,'' Merlin replied. ''Today, however, is not that day.''

They all got up and Colin and Caroline lead the way through the castle, towards the throne room. ''While we went to check the trap door, Paige and Sally split up to find Darren,'' Colin explained as they ran. ''We figured he'd be looking for gold or something.''

Merlin nodded as Colin explained- Gauis had mentioned something about greed being a great motivator for these creatures, similar to their relatives, the trolls. But these creatures were more tactful, and they usually hunted in packs. So Darren wasn't going to be alone…

The group finally reached the throne room though the back door. ''Paige!'' Caroline shouted, running to her twin sister. Paige clasped her sister's hand in greeting and looked at Merlin. ''I lost him,'' she explained breathlessly. Her eye's were flashing faintly between their natural green and magic gold.

''Did you try to fight him?'' Merlin asked, watching her eye's worriedly. The few things he had taught Paige and the other magic born children in Camelot mostly consisted of ways to hide their magic, nothing that could be used to fight.

Still breathing heavily, Paige shook her head. ''He made a dive for Sally. I made a tapestry fall so she could get away.''

Merlin smirked with pride; given the chance, Paige would make a good witch. ''Which way did they go?''

''Toward the bedrooms, I think.'' Merlin ran off in that direction.

Down the halls and up the stairs, Merlin tried to rack his brain if any of Darren's attendants had displayed any signs of being not human. The few guards he had brought with him were alright— Merlin had waited on them during some sparing matches. But the attendants (two of them) had kept to themselves…

Merlin stopped running right outside of the first attendants room. ''Find her!'' He heard a voice that sounded like Darren's, only more slurred. So he was out of his disguise then. ''I want that stupid little red haired brat found!''

 _Go, Sally,_ Merlin thought. If Sally could be counted on for anything, it was disappearing (much to the hardship of her mother, one of the maids of the castle).

''She was right here, my lord!'' One of the attendants, Louis. Merlin recognized the voice despite the deeper, slurred way he spoke. ''Didn't you see her, Gaul?''

''No, only felt her,'' the last attendant answered. ''My hand is throbbing. Look! her teeth broke the skin!''

''Shut up!'' Darren shouted. ''We have to get-''

There was a crash and a cry of pain. Merlin burst into the room. Darren had fallen on the floor, his shoelaces tied together. Louis was surround on the floor by broken glass, his hands on his face to protect himself. Gaul was staring at the room in disbelief, still cradling his bitten hand.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Merlin murmured a spell and Darren became a beetle.

''My lord!'' Gaul squealed. Louis, noticing that they were in danger, went into fleeing mode for these creatures; which is to say, he grew wings.

Merlin stepped back to avoid the angry Louis, and he caught sight of a flash of red hair under the chair Darren had been previously sitting on. ''Sally!''

Sally, knowing she had to do something but was out of vases to throw, picked up Darren's knife that had fallen after his transformation. She tossed it to Merlin.

Merlin muttered another spell so the knife unsheathed it's self and stabbed Louis, dissolving him to dust.

Gaul had watched this scene with his mouth hanging open, and he held up his hands. ''Okay, you win,'' he muttered. ''Never liked the guys much anyway.'' He was still in mostly human form, the only giveaways being his red eyes and his skin, which looked like rocks. ''Couldn't take you on, could I? What with my _maimed_ hand.'' He scowled at Sally.

''Why did you come here?'' Merlin demanded, ''And what did you do with the real Duke Darren?''

Gaul shrugged. ''Ah, he's fine. Ditched him in the woods; probably on his way here now.'' He looked thoughtful for a minute. ''Might be a hard walk, considering his leg…''

''Why did you come here?'' Merlin repeated. The knife still hovered in the air.

''I'm a hired hand, magic man,'' Gaul replied. ''Beetle guy is the head of our modest operation,'' he waved towards the former Darren, who's shoes had shrunken along with him and were still rendering him unable to move. ''I don't know why we came.''

''Who hired you?''

''Wouldn't you like to know?'' Gaul then transformed so quickly that by the time Merlin let the knife fly, Gaul had already escaped through the window.

Merlin and Sally just stood in shock among the glass and dust. Screams from below could be heard as the town people saw the huge monster flying out of the castle.

Footsteps coming running down the hallway. ''What the hell is going on?'' Arthur demanded, looking in shock at the room and at the monster disappearing from view.

Merlin and Sally exchanged a look. ''Duke Darren wasn't- uh, Duke Darren,'' Merlin explained lamely.

Arthur just stared at his servant as Merlin gave him the magic free version of the events; Ugly monsters impersonating the Duke had come to Camelot for money, but had just now fled because he and Sally had come upon them out of their disguise (Merlin discreetly kicked aside the dust of what remained of Louis under the chair).

A few hours later, Merlin finished cleaning the room. He and the children (who had insisted on helping) ended their chore by hanging an old blanket over the window to keep the elements out until the window could be replaced.

''He's not here, Merlin,'' Thomas said as he crawled out from under the bed. Throughout the cleaning process, they had all kept a sharp lookout for Darren the beetle. But he was nowhere to be found.

''Gaul must have taken him with him!'' Colin announced. Sally and Merlin had also filled the others in on the actually events in the room. ''He couldn't have gotten away, since Sally tied his shoes together.'' He looked at the girl, who blushed at the mention of her heroic feat.

''But what now?'' Caroline asked.

''We wait for the King to get back from his search for the real duke,'' Paige said. ''Maybe he knows something.''

''Merlin?'' Sally tugged on the tall boy's sleeve. Her eyes were big and wide. ''Do you think they'll come back?''

Everyone paused as Sally asked the question, waiting for an answer. Merlin smiled. They all had acted so brave and clever in the day's chaos. ''Maybe, but if they do, we'll be ready for them.''

''Like we were this time?'' Thomas asked sarcastically, remember the walk thought the day tunnels.

Merlin, in good humor, pulled the boy's cap over his eyes. ''Yes, because if there is anything we are, it is organized!''

 **Me: Hope you liked it! I can't promise when I'll have another chapter. I am at the mercy of the Muse (hmm, now I understand what Homer was talking about). If you can, please tell me what you think! I love feedback! And hey, if you have any cute scene ideas you wanna see with Merlin and the kids, I'd love to hear them!**

 **Happy Writing!**


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